Region | Iraq
Deadlock as Saddam refuses to attend trial
Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussain throws his trial into further chaos by refusing to attend the 'illegal' court
- Agencies
- Published: 00:00 December 7, 2005
Baghdad: Saddam Hussain refused to attend the fifth session of his trial on Wednesday, throwing what has been at time, a chaotic court proceedings into further confusion.
Defence lawyers and Saddam were discussing what to do next, a source close to the court said.
Saddam and seven of his former associates are on trial for the massacre of nearly 150 Shiite villagers in the early 1980s and face the death penalty if found guilty.
By 12:15 p.m. (0915 GMT), over an hour after the expected start of the hearing, there was no sign Saddam would show up.
Court officials say that in principle the trial, which began on October 19, can go ahead without the defendants present, but the source said the chief judge was eager for Saddam to appear.
At the end of Tuesday's hearing, Saddam told the judge to "Go to hell", saying he would not attend an illegal court. He has repeatedly said the trial is a US-staged sham and has berated the presiding judge and chief prosecutor.
The court source said the trial judge was communicating with Saddam's lawyers through clerks.
The lawyers were in direct contact with Saddam, whose whereabouts have been kept secret amid tight security at the fortified Baghdad courtroom.
With only two witnesses to appear, Wednesday was expected to be a short session, after which the trial was likely to be adjourned for at least several weeks as the country concentrates on legislative elections set for December 15.
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